Alliance condemns plans to breach Greenbelt

12.00.00am GMT Mon 22nd Mar 1999

Castlereagh East and Strangford Alliance Chair, Michael Long, has reacted angrily to the proposed Camperdown Garden Village project, between Comber and Dundonald. The development would involve construction on greenbelt land overlapping Castlereagh and Ards Council areas.

Mr Long said:

"The 310 acre development proposed would undoubtedly lead to the destruction of an area of outstanding natural beauty and would remove a substantial section of land from the greenbelt between Comber and Dundonald."

"Having studied details of the proposed development, it is interesting that the developers have undertaken to provide play areas, a new primary school, upgraded transport facilities and many other amenities, yet none of these have formed part of their development plans for whitefield sites in the Castlereagh area. While these would be obvious selling points for the development, they cannot be allowed to weaken our resolve to protect the greenbelt, land set aside specifically to be free of any development."

"If the plans are approved, the 400m strip of remaining greenbelt will be more of a 'greenthread' than a greenbelt and will come under increasing pressure for development. The village nature and commercial viability of Comber and Dundonald centres, will be severely challenged and could be lost completely."

He concluded:

"Alliance will continue to work for the preservation of the greenbelt, alongside other interested groups, and will oppose any plans brought to Council which have a negative impact upon the countryside."

ENDS.